Anonymous Hacker Who Exposed Steubenville Rapists May get Longer Prison Sentence than Rapists

Deric Lostutter, the 26-year-old hacktivist who leaked documents exposing two high-school football players raping a passed out 16-year-old girl, which led to the imprisonment of the two, is now facing a longer prison sentence than the rapists he exposed. The Steubenville, Ohio rape case made headlines when a video leaked online confirming the two teens had raped an unconscious girl after the police had tried to cover up the case.

Rather than applauding Lostutter for exposing the criminals, FBI officials raided his house two years ago around the same time. Initially, Lostutter denied he had any involvement with the video, however, he later decided to turn himself in after the appalling reaction the rapists had received.

Lostutter is currently facing ten years behind bars if convicted of obtaining tweets and social media posts revealing the details of the rape alongside threatening malicious action against the Steubenville rapists and school officials who helped aid the rapists and cover their tracks. Lostutter had initially leaked the video of the two boys raping the girl onto the Stuebenville High School football team website, which caused national attention.

Lostutter’s 10 year sentence comes just after one of the convicted rapists, Ma’Lik Richmond, 16, was just released from prison for “good behavior.”

Richmond’s family released a statement following their son’s release, focusing in on how hard the past 16 months of lockup were for Ma’Lik. The attorney of Ma’Lik’s rape victim noted there was no mention or apology made to the victim in the statement.

“Although everyone hopes convicted criminals are rehabilitated, it is disheartening that this convicted rapist’s press release does not make a single reference to the victim and her family — whom he and his co-defendant scarred for life,” attorney Robert Fitzsimmons said speaking on the statement. “One would expect to see the defendant publicly apologize for all the pain he caused rather than make statements about himself. Rape is about victims, not defendants. Obviously, the people writing his press release have yet to learn this important lesson.”